SINTERING UO$sub 2$ AT MEDIUM TEMPERATURE

The possibility of obtaining a high density in UO/sub 2/ at medium temperatures by sintering in vacuum using water as an agglomerate was examined. Sintered products with an apparent density of 10.43 g/cm/sup 3/ were obtained by heating in a vacuum at 1200 deg C. Sintering began at 800 deg C and up to 1200 deg C the sintering rate increased with the temperature. For sintering times of about three hours, the optimum pressure ranges between 1275 and 2550 kg/cm/sup 2/ which shifts toward the upper limit as the temperature goes up. (W.D.M.)